Pyridines and their saturated counterparts constitute a family of chemotherapetic agents with a broad range of clinically useful activities including antibubercular, antifungal, antitumor, antimalarial, antihistaminic and antibiotic. The objective of this proposal is to develop a new, simple, and general synthesis of pyridines. The method is illustrated by an expeditious, highly convergent synthesis of the pigment rubrolone as well as short syntheses of several other representative complex pyridines. The ultimate aim of this project is to demonstrate the general utility of the method for the efficient construction of stru cturally diverse, biologically active compounds.